Fame & Fortune: Phyllis Diller
Here's a twist: She did stand-up for financial stability
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Bankrate: When you decided to start comedy, I know there was a financial-need element to it. What was the story there?
Phyllis Diller: When we
got rid of my inheritance there was no money, and it became perfectly obvious
that I had to go to work. Sherwood decided that I had to become a comic. It was
his idea. I don't think I ever would have thought of it. Because remember, I was
just being me. But he had an objective view of me. Bankrate:
What I find interesting is the idea of a couple looking to show business for financial
stability.
Phyllis Diller: Well, he
decided that's where the money was and that I was good at it. It
wasn't my decision. It was the early days of television, and he
thought I looked funnier in a dress then Milton Berle, who had just
signed a $10 million contract. So that woke him up.
Bankrate: What was
the first time you ever got up on stage? Phyllis
Diller: I had an audition at the Purple Onion (in San Francisco), and I
got the job. March 7, 1955. I was petrified. Bankrate:
How long a set did you do?
Phyllis Diller: I had about
15 minutes, and it was the same thing I'd been doing as an amateur.
The first set went great -- it was all my friends. Then, the second
set ... I didn't have a second set. And you can't do the same comedy.
So I started to work madly on material in order to get two different
shows, because I found that people would stay over for a second
show. So I really, really worked on material and became extremely
prolific writing material.
Bankrate:
Your comedy mentor was Bob Hope. He's another one who made it look so easy.
How would you sum up the nature of his talent -- what's the key to why he was
as good as he was?
Phyllis Diller: First, he
became secure very early in his career. A brother was handling his
money, and he started making important money early, and it was all
beautifully invested, so he was always rich. He was never desperate.
That gives you this wonderful ... you don't have to be nervous.
You aren't nervous, you're rich.
Bankrate:
Meanwhile, you were performing to feed your family. Phyllis
Diller: That's called desperation. Bankrate:
How did that impact how you did? Phyllis
Diller: It means you work your ass off. You work on material, you work
to be better. You take everything -- cherry festivals, books, you do everything,
You never say no. Bankrate: How long
was it after you started that you began to make a good living from comedy? Phyllis
Diller: Five years. Five years to get to Carnegie Hall, starring there.
The old hall -- beautiful. | 
